Straight answers for southeastern Indiana.

For essentials like a well pump or sump pump, furnace blower, refrigerator, freezer, lights and some outlets, most homes need roughly 7,500 to 12,000 watts. Whole-house coverage with central air usually takes a 20 kW or larger standby unit.

Pumps and air conditioners need extra power to start, so they drive the size. We look at what you actually need during an outage and match the generator and transfer switch, whether it's a portable unit with an inlet or an automatic standby generator.

A standby generator starts automatically within seconds, runs on natural gas or propane, and can power the whole house. A portable generator costs less but must be set up and fueled by hand, and powers selected circuits.

On rural properties with wells, sump pumps or livestock waterers, where spring storms and winter ice can knock power out for days, many families choose standby. A portable unit with a proper inlet and interlock is a solid budget option.

No. Backfeeding through an outlet is illegal and dangerous. It can electrocute line workers on your road and start a fire when utility power comes back.

The safe way is a generator inlet with an interlock kit or a transfer switch, which keeps the generator and utility power from ever connecting at the same time.

Usually both you and the utility. Duke Energy or Southeastern Indiana REMC owns the lines from the pole. The mast, weatherhead, meter base and service cable on your house are yours, and an electrician must repair them before the utility will reconnect.

Report the downed line and stay away from it; treat every wire on the ground as live. Then call us to repair the equipment on your side so power can be restored.

Install a whole-home surge protector at your panel and use plug-in surge strips for TVs and computers.

Ohio River valley thunderstorms are frequent from spring through summer, and rural lines see more surges than town ones. A panel surge protector is an inexpensive way to protect furnace boards, well-pump controls, appliances and electronics.

Not until it's inspected. Keep power off to flooded areas and don't touch panels, outlets or appliances that were under water.

River and flash flooding in lower Madison, Vevay, Aurora and Lawrenceburg can soak basements and first floors. Water-damaged outlets, breakers and panels are generally replaced, not dried out, because corrosion inside them can cause failures later.

Usually with an underground feeder from your house panel or meter to a subpanel in the barn, trenched at the depth code requires, with its own grounding at the building.

Size the feeder for what you'll add later, like a welder, compressor, heater or lights, because trenching twice costs more than upsizing once. We wire pole barns from the feeder to the lights, outlets and door openers.

Yes. Pond fountains and aerators need a GFCI-protected circuit, wiring rated for wet and underground use, and a proper disconnect or timer near the pond.

Long runs from the house to the pond need correctly sized wire so the pump gets full voltage. We set up the circuit, timers and lighting so the fountain runs safely year after year.

Often. Common electrical causes are a tripped breaker, a failed pressure switch, a bad control box or capacitor, or a loose connection.

We test the circuit and controls to pin down whether it's electrical or the pump itself, so you don't replace a pump that didn't need it.

Yes. Rural homes in the hills around Madison often have weak cell coverage, and a signal booster with an outside antenna and inside amplifier can make a big difference.

We mount the antenna, run the cable, and provide a dedicated outlet for the booster so it's installed cleanly and safely.

Barns are tough on wiring: dust, moisture and animals corrode standard fixtures and boxes, and rodents chew cable.

Use wet-location, corrosion-resistant fixtures and enclosures, protect wiring in conduit where animals and equipment can reach it, and use GFCI protection. Replace rusted barn panels before they fail, especially near hay and bedding.

Yes. New-home wiring is a big part of our work, and local builders use us on project after project.

We handle the temporary service, rough-in, panel and service installation, trim-out and inspections, and we adapt when plans change mid-build, which they often do.

Yes. Tiny homes need the same code-compliant wiring as any house, packed into a smaller space: a properly sized panel, GFCI and AFCI protection, efficient lighting, and circuits for mini-split heating and cooling, water heaters and appliances.

Whether the tiny home is on a foundation or needs a service pedestal and feeder on your land, we can wire it and connect it.

Typically new circuits for kitchen appliances, GFCI protection at counters and bathrooms, updated lighting, correctly spaced outlets, and sometimes a panel upgrade for new loads.

We coordinate with your contractor or work directly with you, and we make sure everything passes inspection.

Yes. We wire electric water heaters with the correct dedicated 240-volt circuit, breaker and disconnect, and troubleshoot heaters that trip breakers or stop heating.

If your water heater isn't heating, the cause can be a tripped breaker, a failed element or thermostat, or a wiring problem. We'll find which it is.

At minimum, two 20-amp small-appliance circuits for the countertops, plus dedicated circuits for the refrigerator, dishwasher, disposal, microwave and range, all with the GFCI and AFCI protection code requires.

Plan outlets so there's one within reach along every stretch of counter, and don't forget the island. Getting this right during framing saves money and extension cords later.

Consider an upgrade if your panel is full, rusted, warm, buzzing, over 30 years old, or a Federal Pacific or Zinsco, or if you're adding a shop, generator, heat pump, EV charger or addition.

We've rewired panels and main services for homeowners around the area. A new panel adds capacity and modern protection, and gives you room for what's next.

Madison has one of the largest National Register historic districts in the country, and many of its 1800s homes still have knob-and-tube or cloth-insulated wiring, ungrounded outlets and small services.

Upgrading can usually be done without damaging plaster and trim by working through attics, basements and closets. Exterior changes, like new meters or masts on a visible facade, may need historic review.

Yes. We regularly troubleshoot and correct work left unfinished or done wrong by others, from miswired circuits to code violations flagged at inspection.

We find what's wrong, explain it, and fix it at an agreed-upon price.

One flickering light is usually a bulb or dimmer. Flicker across the house, or when the well pump or furnace starts, can mean a loose connection or an overloaded service.

Loose connections generate heat, so have widespread flickering checked. We tighten or replace failing connections and tell you if the service needs an upgrade.

Overloads, short circuits and ground faults trip breakers, and so do worn-out breakers. Space heaters in winter are a classic cause.

If it trips as soon as you reset it, leave it off; something is shorted. Never replace it with a bigger breaker. The wire is only rated for the original size.

Yes. A sump pump should have a dedicated circuit so another appliance can't trip it off when you need it most, and it should be GFCI-protected where code requires.

Pair it with a battery backup or generator connection. The heavy storms that cause power outages are the same storms that fill your sump pit.

A dedicated 240-volt circuit, usually 40 to 60 amps, and enough capacity in your panel to carry it.

We check capacity, install a hardwired charger or 240-volt outlet in the garage or at the driveway, and handle the local permit. On rural properties, plan the route early if the charger will be at a detached garage or shop.

A GFCI protects people from shock by cutting power when current leaks to ground. An AFCI protects the house from fire by detecting dangerous arcing in damaged wires.

GFCIs belong in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, garages, barns, outdoors and near ponds and pools. AFCIs are required on most living-area circuits in new construction.

Indiana doesn't have a statewide electrical license. Electrical contractors register with the cities and counties where they work, such as the City of Madison and Jefferson County, and permits and inspections are handled locally.

Ask any contractor whether they're registered where your job is and whether they'll pull the permit. Permitted, inspected work protects your safety, your insurance and your home's value.

Call right away for burning smells, smoke, sparks, a hot or buzzing panel, scorched outlets, water on electrical equipment, a shock from anything, or partial power with lights brightening or dimming.

If there's smoke or fire, get out and call 911. Otherwise, turn off the affected breaker, or the main, and call us.

Replace smoke alarms every 10 years and carbon monoxide alarms every 7 to 10 years. Test them monthly.

With propane, wood and gas heat common in the area, CO alarms on every level and near bedrooms are essential. Hardwired, interconnected alarms are best in new construction and remodels.

Yes. We offer free quotes, and we do the work at the price we agreed on.

No job is too big or too small: water heaters, pond fountains, tiny homes, big homes and everything between.